English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
The iconic Peñas Altas recreational complex remains practically closed due to the energy crisis and poor state management 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Matanzas, 20 July 2026 / The highway enters Matanzas along the coast, and before the bridges and the city skyline come into view, a building with modern lines still catches the eye. Painted … Continue reading “El Bahía, a Symbol of Matanzas, Fades Amid Padlocks and Blackouts”
This Wednesday a shortfall of 2,341 megawatts was reached – unprecedented, discounting total system collapses 14ymedio, Havana, July 9, 2026 / Three days after the most recent collapse of the national electrical system (SEN), it is barely noticeable that it is now connected. The continuous power cuts are announcement enough for Cubans, but they also have … Continue reading “Blackouts: New Electrical Deficit Record in Cuba, Exceeding 75%”
Amid banging pots and pans, plumes of smoke, and outages, the Cuban electricity crisis seems to have turned madness into a widespread state. 14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Havana, July 7, 2026 / The day after a power outage, everything moves much more slowly. This Tuesday, I spent long minutes trying to flag down an electric tricycle … Continue reading “Havana Chronicles: The Blackout Lunatics”
Cubalex warns of escalating repression in the lead-up to the anniversary of the 11 July 2021 protests, ’11J’ 14ymedio, Madrid, June 26, 2026 / The NGO Cubalex confirmed this Thursday the arrest of at least seven people in the municipality of Contramaestre, four of them minors, after the incidents that occurred on June 21 around … Continue reading “Seven Arrested, Including Four Minors, After Protests Against Blackouts in Santiago de Cuba”
In Santos Suarez, residents took over a street and set fire to the many open-air rubbish piles and an Etecsa installation 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 11 June 2026 / The banging of pots and pans in broad daylight is becoming a regular occurrence. It happened again this Wednesday in the Havana neighbourhood of Luyano, … Continue reading ““Water and Power” – the Desperate Cry of the Cuban Women of Luyano, Ground Down by Constant Blackouts”
With the Guiteras thermoelectric plant offline, UNE anticipates an outage of 2,147 MW tonight. 14ymedio, Havana, May 25, 2026 / “Let the police come, I’ll tell them what’s going on in this país de pinga [fucked up country]!” The woman who exclaimed the curse word in broad daylight this Monday on San Rafael Boulevard in … Continue reading “The Russian Oil Tanker ‘Universal’ Moves Away From Cuba As Blackouts and Protests Grow”
Mileidis Maceo Quiñones, Edilkis León Giraudis and Oneida Quiñones are accused of public disorder and property damage 14ymedio, Madrid, May 18, 2026 — Three women who were arrested at the end of 2024 in Palmarito de Cauto, Santiago de Cuba, are facing lengthy prison sentences for a protest that erupted during a prolonged blackout. Prosecutors … Continue reading “The Prosecutor’s Office Seeks Up to 13 Years in Prison for Three Women Who Protested a Blackout in Santiago de Cuba”
This neighborhood in San José de las Lajas was built for healthcare personnel returning from international missions. 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, San José de las Lajas, April 19, 2026 / Nights fall early in the Reparto de los Médicos [Doctors’ Neighborhood] of San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, not because the sun sets earlier, but … Continue reading “In Near-Constant Blackout, the Los Médicos Neighborhood Suffers From Street Assaults and Building Robberies”
This video is under two minutes long. Originally posted in 2012, we reposted it in 2014 given what was happening in Venezuela. It seems even more prescient now, in 2019, so here it is again… and… now in 2025… here it is AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN!…. …in 2026 The subtitles appear to have stopped … Continue reading “Cuba: Oldie But Goodie — Venezuela Now Has Imported Blackouts / Ciro Diaz”
Amid the gloom, they give “one of the few joys of the day, of the week, of the month” 14ymedio, Havana, March 23, 2026 – Months of preparation and rehearsals were on the verge of going to waste last Saturday at the Gran Teatro de La Habana. That day was the culmination of the preparation … Continue reading “The Blackout Forces Musicians of the Gran Teatro de la Habana To Give a Concert in the Dark”
Fuel shortages and breakdowns at power plants are pushing Cuba’s electrical system to its most critical level. Neither the optimistic tone nor the attempts at calm by Bernardo Espinosa—the state-run journalist in charge of presenting the daily blackout report—manage to conceal the magnitude of the crisis. This Saturday, Cuba will face power outages throughout the … Continue reading “63% of Cuba Will Be Without Power This Saturday, a Record for Scheduled Blackouts”
Reports multiply about “corruption in the Electric Company” to connect the powerful and leave others in the dark 14ymedio, Havana, November 24, 2025 — Hurricane Melissa left Mayarí hours after striking the east of Cuba, but the effects are still felt in the municipality of Holguín, where there have been three consecutive protests in small … Continue reading “Protests Over Blackouts of up to 25 Days in Mayarí, Where There Are No Resources To Pay Bribes to the Electric Union”
From January to September, Cuba hosted 20.5% fewer visitors than the previous year, the worst result since the Covid-19 pandemic. 14ymedio, Madrid, November 6, 2025 — On Wednesday, more than half a month late, Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) published tourism data for last September, confirming the collapse of the sector. In the … Continue reading “Blackouts, Food Shortages and an Arboviral Epidemic Are Keeping Tourists Away From Cuba”
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero called, to “convert the people’s efforts into tangible results”, without saying how. 14ymedio, Havana, 26 July 2025 — Cuban Television, which broadcast the event this morning — always reserving time to make whatever cuts may be necessary — with all the usual fanfare, marked by tearful evocations of the failed assault … Continue reading “There Was No Blackout at Cuba’s 26 July Event, but Neither Were There Any Ideas for Overcoming the Crisis”
The new fleet of vehicles partially alleviates urban transport, but the lack of electricity and inefficient journeys frustrate drivers and passengers. 14ymedio, Matanzas, Pablo Padilla Cruz, October 26, 2025 — The improvised stop in front of the pre-university school in Matanzas fills up quickly. A group of passengers are waiting their turn for one of … Continue reading “Matanzas, Cuba, Tries to Move With Electric Tricycles, But the Blackouts Slow the Route”